11: Greedy pack of wolves

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Heavy mechanical feet stepped on the gravel-covered ground, producing a roar that made the Earth tremble.

The "pioneer-3 model" mining robot's intact giant mechanical arm was like the hand of a god, easily tearing through hard rock layers. Rock that used to require a dozen Mine Slaves working together for half a day to pry open was as fragile as a biscuit before it.

Chen Feng sat in the cockpit, calmly watching the production count climb rapidly through the wide-angle window.

One day.

In just one day, the output he completed had already exceeded the total of the past week.

This level of efficiency could no longer be explained by "good luck." It was a blatant, crushing declaration... "What is this?"

In the evening, the production data for Mining Area No. 7 was summarized on Bachm's personal terminal. His voice was hoarse as his fat finger pointed firmly at a production bar graph that stood head and shoulders above the rest; that bar was nearly double the sum of all the other Mine Slaves combined.

"My Lord Supervisor, this is... this is Number 734's output for today," the Adjutant beside him answered cautiously.

"734..." Bachm's breathing instantly became heavy, his small eyes flickering with an almost overflowing ecstasy and greed. "I knew it! I knew it! That kid must have a massive secret behind him!"

He suddenly stood up from his chair and paced back and forth in the office, the fat on his face trembling with excitement.

"A rich vein! It must be an unprecedentedly rich vein! That's the only explanation!" he muttered to himself, then suddenly stopped and ordered the Adjutant.

"You, go and call the person monitoring him!"

A moment later, a Guard stood respectfully before Bachm.

"Lord Supervisor."

"From now on, watch him like a hawk!" Bachm's voice was suppressed with excitement. "Raise the monitoring level to the maximum! Twenty-four hours a day, he cannot leave your sight for a single second! Eating, sleeping, going to the toilet—someone must be watching!"

"Yes!"

"And," Bachm narrowed his eyes, revealing a smile he thought was clever, "find an opportunity to 'accidentally' reveal to him that the mining area is preparing to organize a 'Risk Exploration' for the abandoned C-13 Mining Area. Tell him the reward is extremely high—high enough to let him reach the heavens in one step!"

"Understood, Lord Supervisor." The Guard smiled knowingly. "A greedy fish will always bite the hook as long as there is enough bait."

"Go." Bachm waved his hand and sat back in his chair, letting out a satisfied hum as he imagined the mountain of gold that would allow him to rise rapidly in rank... In the mining area's night, the canteen was filled with the nauseatingly sweet smell of synthetic nutrient paste.

Chen Feng sat alone at a small table with a steaming serving of meat and vegetables in front of him. This was his upgraded "single meal," a luxury as rare as a dream in this gray land of despair.

He ate quietly, but the gazes around him were like thorns in his back.

The Mine Slaves, who had just finished gnawing on dry, hard nutrient paste, were looking at him with undisguised eyes.

"Why... why does he get to eat that?" a hoarse voice rang out.

"Didn't you see? He's the supervisor's favorite right now." Another voice was full of bitterness.

"Favorite? He's just a more obedient dog!"

"That robot... I heard he digs more in a day than we do in a week."

"Lucky bastard... without that robot, what would he be?"

The whispers were like venomous snakes, spreading and gathering in the dark corners of the canteen. Shock had long since turned into blatant jealousy and resentment.

"Shh... keep it down."

"What's there to be afraid of? He's just one person, and there are so many of us."

In a more remote corner, a Mine Slave with a scar on his face was whispering a plot with several accomplices. He was Ma Liu, known among the Mine Slaves for bullying the weak and fearing the strong.

"Boss, that kid is too eye-catching," a Mine Slave who looked like a skinny monkey said.

Ma Liu stared venomously at Chen Feng's back, then looked at the silhouette of the giant robot parked in the distance and sneered.

"Hmph, he gets the best food and drink while we have to gnaw on stones? Where's the logic in that?"

"Then... what does the boss mean?"

"Isn't he relying on that broken machine?" A flash of ruthlessness crossed Ma Liu's eyes. "What if that robot... breaks? Then he'll be nothing."

...On the way back to the dormitory, Chen Feng could clearly feel the malice around him, almost solidifying into substance.

But his heart remained unruffled.

In Earth's business world, he had seen too many faces distorted by interest; this level of jealousy was just child's play.

"Collective malice, is it..." he analyzed calmly. "It must be dealt with, otherwise it will become a huge obstacle to the plan. And the best way to handle this kind of trouble is to kill the chicken to warn the monkeys."

He needed a "chicken" to warn the restless "monkeys."

"Number 734."

The Guard responsible for monitoring him "happened" to catch up, a warm smile on his face.

"Officer, is something the matter?" Chen Feng immediately put on a humble expression.

"Nothing major, just a quick chat," the Guard said seemingly at random. "I heard the Lord Supervisor is preparing to organize a 'Risk Exploration' to the abandoned C-13 Mining Area. Tsk tsk, that reward... I heard that if you find anything at all, you won't have to worry for the rest of your life."

Chen Feng's pupils shrank suddenly, and then an uncontrollable look of greed and interest appeared on his face.

"Really? Officer?" His voice trembled slightly.

"Of course." The Guard looked at his reaction with satisfaction. "But that place is dangerous, so weigh it for yourself."

"Thank you for the warning, Officer! I... I'll think about it!"

The Guard patted him on the shoulder and turned to leave.

The greed on Chen Feng's face vanished instantly, leaving only coldness.

Bachm's trap has arrived.

Just then, a sharp neural sting exploded from deep within his spinal cord without warning, causing his vision to go black as he nearly collapsed to his knees.

He gripped the wall tightly, cold sweat instantly drenching his back.

"Time... is running out."

Returning to his private dormitory, Chen Feng locked the door, slumped onto the bed, and closed his eyes.

Bachm was using an open scheme to pressure him.

The Mine Slaves were using malice to hate him.

The side effects in his body were using intense pain to urge him.

Three-way pressure, like three great mountains, pressed down on him simultaneously.

"C-13 Mining Area... tranquility grass..."

"Bachm's trap... Ma Liu's conspiracy..."

Countless clues intertwined and collided in his mind. Finally, a cold plan, devoid of any warmth, began to slowly take shape.

He would use Bachm's open scheme to resolve the threat of the Mine Slaves and, at the same time, obtain his antidote.

Three birds with one stone.